Beginner's Guide
Welcome to the world of Secrets. If you’re reading this page, that means you’re interested in participating in this RP. Good for you! But the wiki is a bit overwhelming, huh? I don’t blame you, there’s a lot of Lore. Like, a lot a lot. Well don’t you worry friend. For this page will serve as a helpful crash course in everything you need to know in order to get started. Hooray! Now let's start with the basics. The RP World The Earth is a giant sphere of rock floating in the middle of a void known as the cosmos. At the heart of the world is what’s known as The Nexus, a font of magical energy that’s the source of all life. However, the Nexus has it’s polar opposite in The Abyss, a hungering void that wishes to consume the nexus and thus snuff out all life. Thankfully for life itself, the earth and the Nexus have The Secrets to defend it. Read more: The Nexus Read More: The Abyss The Secrets The Secrets are the main factions, after which the RP itself is named. But what are they? Well, in short, a Secret is a group of sorcerers who band together to study and practice magic, and defend the Nexus from The Abyss. At least, that’s how they work in theory. In practice, the Secrets are just as subject to human emotions and desires, and none of them truly trust each other. However, in order to mitigate conflict and ensure that the Secrets can work together when necessary, the Secrets are bound by The Babylon Pact , a formal agreement between the Secrets to set aside their differences and work together in the face of a great threat to The Nexus (or themselves). Each Secret is lead by a triad of sorcerers with abilities unlike a common sorcerer. Each triad consists of: a Rhymer , who can write spells that alter the fabric of reality, but only if the spell rhymes. An alchemist , who can infuse magic into objects and potions, and create wondrous things. And a Lorekeeper , who keeps a record of the history of the secret, as well as important information in their Book Of Lore. Read More: Secret Read More: Babylon Pact Primary Secrets The Primary Secrets are the de facto rulers of the world of Sorcerers. Most of them are ancient, and almost all of them are a bit imperialist in nature. Thematically, each one represents both one of the 6 primary elements of magic and a different form of social power. *The Gates Of Babylon : The oldest secret in existence. Located in the Hanging Gardens in Iraq, this Secret is dedicated to the study of the magic of earth, and represents power through laws and jurisdiction. *The Porcelain Council: The second oldest secret in existence. Located in China, this secret is dedicated to the study of the magic of Air and represents power through military force. *The Court of Versailles : A Secret founded by blue blooded aristocrats and dedicated to the study of the magic of Light. The Court represents power through blood and noble lines, and has been destroyed twice. Located in France. *The Dionysian Mysteries : Ostensibly a cult of Dionysus dedicated to the study of the magic of Dark, in truth this Secret is a collection of hedonists who’s only real goal is chasing absolute pleasure, and cultivating a world ruled by the beautiful elite. They are located in Greece, and represent power through beauty and popularity. *The Guild of Venice : This Secret controls and produces the currency used in the world of sorcerers, and has gained power and influence because of this. Located in Venice, the Guild is tied to the element of Water, which flows like money exchanges hands. The guild, predictably, represents power through Riches and Trade. *The Servants of the Empire : The youngest of the primary Secrets, the Servants started as a group of sorcerers from Victorian England, who established a magic city underneath London. Nowadays they’ve turned into a theocratic police state ruled by their Empress whom they believe to be divine. They are tied to the element of Fire, and represent power through fear and faith. Secondary Secrets Secondary Secrets are other Secrets who adhere to The Babylon Pact, but are not one of the primary six. They have no central unifying theme, except for most of them being based on some culture’s mythology or just pop culture. (note: most of the secrets listed here are undergoing revisions for cultural sensitivity.) ' * Emerald Conclave - A relatively young Secret, founded in the late 1930s by a bunch of pretentious sorcerers who wanted to play Wizard Of Oz. Nowadays they’ve convinced themselves they truly are the characters from the franchise. * Tengu Cartel -Currently a gang of japanese sorcerers who peddle a luck altering drug. Undergoing heavy rewrites. * Jotunn Tribe - A secret based on Norse Mythology. * Church of Kali -A secret based on Hundu mythology. Needs tweaking. * Daughters of Hecate - Being replaced with an Egyptian Secret. * Scions of all the World -A secret founded in ancient Rome that craves knowledge and information. Secretly works with KOSMOS. * Tales of Scheherazade -A secret based on the Thousand and One Nights. Feathers of the Serpent-A south american secret that ostensibly based on Aztec Mythology. Needs tweaking. * The People -A secret based on Inuit Mythology. * The Golden Fiddles -Rock n’ roll baby. I’ll let Nolan write the description for this one. * The Crimson Coven -A Secret based on Slavic mythology. Rogue Secrets The term rogue secrets isn’t really an official term, infact, most of the time it’s used derogatorily to refer to groups of sorcerers and other magical beings who exist outside of the babylon pact and its supporters, and while still against the Abyss, are often not willing to properly “play ball” with the primary secrets or their systems, either ignoring structure, legislation, or tradition in some way shape or form, either simply refusing to sign the pact and conform to their standards of organization or their code of conduct but still willing to actively participate in discussion with them, being actively distrustful and distant to the primary secrets, or actively hostile to the babylon pact and those who uphold it. Despite all of this however, “rogue secrets” are still often rather amicable with not only other relatively neutral parties but also secondary secrets and even generally antagonistic ones like the masquerade, and are also often the first to take in others looking for exit from the abyss’s rule, and even go so far as to often bring normal humans, even if they lack any sign of magical ability if they so please. * The Twelfth Spell - A group of mages mostly dedicated to contradiction and argument, the rogue secret closest to the primary secrets and by far one of the oldest magical organizations in the world. They’re mostly known for their tendency to sit in on meetings of the secrets and actively arguing with any point they view as unjust or exclusionary, and take a very lackadaisical standpoint to conflict between secrets especially. They often act rather neutral of the gods, and generally take most things with an air of scepticism. They aren’t based out of anywhere in particular, and enjoy holding small meetings in public space over using a central meeting hall * Revelers of Rot - An offshoot of The Dionysian Mysteries who have achieved mastery over the magic of Life and Death. After being banished to The Abyss by The Secrets, they gained Lilith's favor and returned in 2015 with a new leader, Magnus. They are currently in hiding due to suffering a great defeat at the hands of The Secrets, but who knows when or if they’ll make a next move. * The Keepers of the Four Treasures - A group of magical beings, be they human or not, located in central ireland and run predominantly by one of several dozen or so families who rotate in and out based on the birth of the supposed Avatar of the Morrigan, a girl who possess a very powerful and distinct magical aura, and who will hold the position of head family until the passing of current avatar and the birth of the new avatar. They’re rather jovial, but a bit insular, especially in their relations with primary secrets who they treat with contempt and hostility at the best of time. It’s often believed that by those who work for the Keepers that they are avatars or reincarnations of various celtic folk heroes and deities, and as such are often given notable artifacts to not only guard, but to use as they wish until their deaths when, like the title of the Avatar of the Morrigan is passed on upon their death. As such they put a lot of importance on emblematic items and weapons, and as such have amassed many unique magical artifacts. Other Magical Factions Not every group of magic users is recognized by the Six as a Secret. There exist factions in the world which contain magic users, but either are largely unknown by The Secrets or operate in direct opposition to all Secrets. * KOSMOS : An international organization of scientists and soldiers from the world of muggles who are dedicated to the study of the world of sorcerers and magic and combining it with modern day technology. A neutral party in the war between the Nexus and The Abyss. * The Masquerade : A group of upstarts who call themselves monsters. Exist as a haven for those persecuted by The Secrets, and maintain their continued survival via their possession of a weapon which could, if activated, turn the tides of the conflict in the favor of the Secrets, and if destroyed turn the tides in favor of The Abyss. Magic and Sorcerers So now that you know the major forces at play in the world, you’re probably thinking “Golly gee, at least one of those factions sounds swell! But how does magic work, and how do I make my first character? Well fear not you hypothetical reader of this page, for I’m about to learn you a thing. See every living being has a spark, a fragment of The Nexus in their soul. When that spark is activated, a living being can gain control of one of the elements of magic. Magic at it’s core is divided into seven primary elements, subdivided into primal elements, theos elements and Space. The primal elements are your standard four elements of nature, Fire , Water , Earth , and Air . They’re all pretty self explanatory, and work basically like Bending from Avatar the Last Airbender. Pretty much exactly like bending, actually. The theos elements are where things start to get nifty. See theos elements are born from the human soul, and represent the duality in an individual. Light is the first theos element, and draws its power from the mind and rational thought. It is an element of order, compassion, selflessness, and restraint. It is basically the element of the superego. Now Dark , on the other hand, is the element of indulgence, of hedonism and selfishness, of living life to the fullest without regard for anything. It’s an element of chaos and trickery, an element of freedom, an element of the Id. Use of either of these elements by themselves tends to warp the personality of the user. Those who only use light tend to end up pretentious holier-than-thou pricks, while those who indulge in the intoxicating nature of dark usually end up as purely self centered hedonists with no empathy for others. As a result. It’s recommended that one never uses either of these elements alone, and instead learns two elements. The final element is the element of space, of the great cosmos in which the earth sits. The element of Aster has only recently been discovered by sorcerers, and thus nobody quite knows what it does. It seems that by itself, Aster does nothing. But when combined with another element, shit gets really really dangerous. Read More:Magic Read More:Sorcerers Read More:Magic Combinations Read More:Aster A sorcerer can learn to control any two of these base elements, and can also combine or recombine them to form one of the secondary elements listed below: '''Fire combinations: ' * Heat: When combined with Air, it becomes Sheer Fire, or Heat, the ability to produce and manipulate invisible blasts of searing heat. * Steam: Combined with Water, it becomes Steam, the ability to manipulate blasts of scalding water vapor. * Magma: Combined with Earth, it allows the user to manipulate molten rock. * Flare: Combined with Light, fire becomes Flare, the ability to produce golden-white flames that burn for a seemingly infinite amount of time and damage creatures of darkness. * Hellfire: With Dark, Fire becomes Hellfire, a very faint, dark fire that burns surprisingly quickly, eating away at metal and stone as easily as skin and flesh. * Metal: Recombined with Earth, it becomes Metal, the ability to manipulate solidified or molten masses of any metal, from steel to bronze. * Smoke: Recombined with Air, it becomes Smoke, the ability to manipulate and produce heavy clouds of billowing ash and cinders as well as wafts of smoke. * Acid: Recombined with Water, it becomes Acid, the ability to produce blasts of vitriolic, scalding liquid that eat through materials with terrifying efficiency. * Holy Fire: Recombined with Light, it becomes Holy Fire, the ability to create orbs of pure white, celestial flame that heal the worthy and burn creatures of darkness. * Vice: Recombined with Dark, it becomes Vice, the magical ability to affect the souls of others by afflicting them with the Seven Deadly Sins; Gluttony, Lust, Avarice, Wrath, Pride, Sloth or Jealousy. Earth combinations: * Magma: Combined with Fire, it allows the user to manipulate molten rock. * Sand: A combination of Earth and Air that creates Sand, which can be manipulated into swirls and storms of sand grains. * Clay: Combined with Water, Earth allows the manipulation of thick and heavy clay. Life: Combined with Light, Earth creates the force of Life, the power to heal and breathe plant and animal life into being. * Decay: Combined with Dark, Earth becomes the magic of Decay, the ability to weaken and ultimately consume animate and inanimate matter. * Crystal: Recombined with Air, it becomes Crystal, the ability to manipulate shimmering shards of quartz or other crystalline materials with a touch. * Metal: Recombined with Fire, it becomes Metal, the ability to manipulate solidified or molten masses of any metal, from steel to bronze. * Erosion: Recombined with Water, it becomes Erosion, the ability to use thread-thin strands of liquid magic to seep into the flaws and cracks of almost any material and tear it apart, causing the dissolution of almost any solid. * Petrification: Recombined with Dark, it becomes Petrification, the power to turn living creatures partially or completely to stone, revert this transformation, and animate statues. * Shielding: Recombined with Light, it becomes Shielding, the ability to create solidified spheres of light and hardlight constructions that protect the caster, impenetrable to almost every element. Air combinations: Sand: A combination of Earth, and Air creates Sand, which can be manipulated into swirls and storms of sand grains. * Heat: When combined with Fire, it becomes Sheer Flame, or Heat, the ability to produce and manipulate invisible blasts of searing heat. * Cold: Air and Water combine into Ice, the ability to create crystalline shards of ice and blasts of snow. * Lightning: Light combines with Air to make Lightning, the electrical energy of the heavens. Affectionately dubbed "crackle mages", manipulators of lightning can shoot blasts of golden electricity from their body. * Plague: Combined with Air, Dark becomes Plague, the ability to create and manipulate deadly diseases and toxins through the air. * Crystal: Recombined with Earth, it becomes Crystal, the ability to manipulate shimmering shards of quartz or other crystalline materials with a touch. * Cloud: Recombined with Water, it becomes Cloud, the ability to levitate and fly as well as manipulate misty blasts of nimbus cloud. * Smoke: Recombined with Fire, it becomes Smoke, the ability to manipulate and produce heavy clouds of billowing ash and cinders as well as wafts of smoke. * Madness: Recombined with Dark, it becomes the extremely unpredictable element of Madness. Sorcerers using Madness as an element have no control over which elemental combination they cast, although they have the potential to cast any and every element (use of dice is recomended). * Virtue: Recombined with Light, it becomes Virtue, the ability to affect the soul of others and influence them with the Seven Cardinal Virtues; Temperance, Chastity, Charity, Patience, Humility, Diligence or Kindness. Water combinations: * Cold: Air and Water combine into Cold, the ability to create crystalline shards of ice and blasts of snow. * Clay: Combined with Earth, Water allows the manipulation of thick and heavy clay. * Steam: Combined with Fire, it becomes Steam, the ability to manipulate blasts of scalding vapor. Blood: Combined with Dark, Water allows the user to manipulate the blood flow and pulse. * Mirror: Light and Water combine into Mirror magic, the ability to copy and duplicate an element for a short amount of time. * Erosion: Recombined with Earth, it becomes Erosion, the ability to use thread-thin strands of liquid magic to seep into the flaws and cracks of almost any material and tear it apart, causing the dissolution of almost any solid. * Acid: Recombined with Fire, it becomes Acid, the ability to produce blasts of vitriolic, scalding liquid that eat through materials with terrifying efficiency. * Cloud: Recombined with Air, it becomes Cloud, the ability to levitate and fly as well as manipulate misty blasts of nimbus cloud. * Premonition: Recombined with Light, it becomes Premonition, the ability to see visions of the extreme future or past, as well as the temporary ability to perceive the movements of an opponent several seconds in advance. * Ink: Recombined with Dark, it becomes Ink, the ability to manipulate pools of pitch-black ink that seep into the veins and souls of the sorcerer's enemies, poisoning them. Air Combinations: *'Sand: '''A combination of Earth, and Air creates Sand, which can be manipulated into swirls and storms of sand grains. *'Heat: When combined with Fire, it becomes Sheer Flame, or Heat, the ability to produce and manipulate invisible blasts of searing heat. *'Cold: '''Air and Water combine into Ice, the ability to create crystalline shards of ice and blasts of snow. *'Lightning: 'Light combines with Air to make Lightning, the electrical energy of the heavens. Affectionately dubbed "crackle mages", manipulators of lightning can shoot blasts of golden electricity from their body. *'Plague: 'Combined with Air, Dark becomes Plague, the ability to create and manipulate deadly diseases and toxins through the air. *'Warping: 'Combined with Aster, Air becomes Warping, the ability to rend gaps in the stream of reality. Amongst other things, this allows the user to create a series of portals that connect to each other through the void between realities. *'Crystal: 'Recombined with Earth, it becomes Crystal, the ability to manipulate shimmering shards of quartz or other crystalline materials with a touch. *'Cloud: 'Recombined with Water, it becomes Cloud, the ability to levitate and fly as well as manipulate misty blasts of nimbus cloud. *'Smoke: 'Recombined with Fire, it becomes Smoke, the ability to manipulate and produce heavy clouds of billowing ash and cinders as well as wafts of smoke. *'Madness: 'Recombined with Dark, it becomes the extremely unpredictable element of Madness. Sorcerers using Madness as an element have no control over which elemental combination they cast, although they have the potential to cast any and every element (use of dice is reccomended). *'Virtue: '''Recombined with Light, it becomes Virtue, the ability to affect the soul of others and influence them with the Seven Cardinal Virtues; Temperance, Chastity, Charity, Patience, Humility, Diligence or Kindness. Light combinations: * Mirror: Light and Water combine into Mirror magic, the ability to copy and duplicate an element for a short amount of time. * Lightning: Light combines with Air to make Lightning, the electrical energy of the heavens. Affectionately dubbed "crackle mages", manipulators of lightning can shoot blasts of golden electricity from their body. * Life: Combined with Light, Earth creates the force of Life, the power to heal and breathe plant and animal life into being. * Flare: Combined with Fire , Light becomes Flare, the ability to produce golden-white flames that burn for a seemingly infinite amount of time and damage creatures of darkness. * Illusion: The volatile combination of Light and Dark is Illusion, the ability to manipulate and deceive the senses and ensnare the mind. Illusionists can also manipulate the emotions and thoughts of their targets, making them incredibly powerful. * Virtue: Recombined with Air, it becomes Virtue, the ability to affect the soul of others and influence them with the Seven Cardinal Virtues; Temperance, Chastity, Charity, Patience, Humility, Diligence or Kindness. * Heavenfire: Recombined with Fire, it becomes Heavenfire, the ability to create orbs of pure white, celestial flame that heal the worthy and burn creatures of darkness. * Shielding: Recombined with Earth, it becomes Shielding, the ability to create solidified spheres of light and hardlight constructions that protect the caster, impenetrable to almost every element. * Premonition: Recombined with Water, it becomes Premonition, the ability to see visions of the extreme future or past, as well as the temporary ability to percieve the movements of an oponent several seconds in advance. * Emotion: Recombined with Dark, it becomes Emotion, the ability to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of others, influence their will, and overpower their minds with a touch. Contact must be maintained for the power to remain effective. Dark Combinations: * Hellfire: With Dark, Fire becomes Hellfire, a very faint blue fire that burns surprisingly quickly, eating away at metal and stone as easily as skin and flesh. * Decay: Combined with Dark, Earth becomes the magic of Decay, the ability to weaken and ultimately consume animate and inanimate matter. * Plague: Combined with Air, Dark becomes plague, the ability to create and manipulate deadly diseases and toxins through the air. * Blood: Combined with Shadow, Water allows the user to manipulate the blood flow and pulse. * Illusion: The volatile combination of Light and Dark is illusion, the ability to manipulate and deceive the senses and ensnare the mind. Illusionists can also manipulate the emotions and thoughts of their targets, making them incredibly powerful. * Madness: Recombined with Air, it becomes the extremely unpredictable element of Madness. Sorcerers using Madness as an element have no control over which elemental combination they cast, although they have the potential to cast any and every element (use of dice is reccomended). * Vice: Recombined with Fire, it becomes Vice, the magical ability to affect the souls of others by afflicting them with the Seven Deadly Sins; Gluttony, Lust, Avarice, Wrath, Pride, Sloth or Jealousy. * Petrification: Recombined with Earth, it becomes Petrification, the power to turn living creatures partially or completely to stone, revert this transformation, and animate statues. * Ink: Recombined with Water it becomes Ink, the ability to manipulate pools of pitch-black ink that seep into the veins and souls of the sorcerer's enemies, poisoning them. * Emotion: Recombined with Light, it becomes Emotion, the ability to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of others, influence their will, and overpower their minds with a touch. Contact must be maintained for the power to remain effective. Aster combinations: * Fire: Combined with Fire, Aster becomes Radiation, the ability to emit large amounts of volatile radiation. This power is as dangerous as it is uncontrollable; many a Secret has been faced with high casualties due to a Sorcerer bestowed with this gift losing control. * Water: Combined with Water, Aster becomes Time, the ability to manipulate the temporal stream directly. The physical and mental costs of this are huge on the caster, but they seem to allow the sorcerer to stop, slow down, or speed up time without affecting themselves. * Earth: Combined with Earth, Aster becomes Gravity, the ability to control gravitational fields, especially that of the Earth. While their influence covers a limited amount of ground, it has many applications, and can strengthen, weaken, or even cancel the effects of gravity for short amounts of time. * Air: Combined with Air, Aster becomes Warping, the ability to rend gaps in the stream of reality. Amongst other things, this allows the user to create a series of portals that connect to each other through the void between realities. * Light: Combined with Light, Aster becomes Invocation, the ability to summon minor astral entities, fragments of the Constellations with a shard of their power and sentience. The Constellations lend their minor servants to Sorcerers who have chosen this path at the cost of their lifespan. * Dark: Combined with Dark, Aster becomes Void, the ability to pierce through the constraints of reality and expose rifts torn into the very essence of the Abyss, releasing Others. This power is both incredibly volatile and forbidden, and any use of it by those adhering to the Babylon Pact is met with immediate and unavoidable death. Other Beings Alright, you may be thinking. This is all well and good, but this is fantasy for pete’s sake! What if I don’t want to play as a human? Well the good news is that you’re in luck, as this wonderful RP has a menagerie of fantasy creatures to choose from! Elementals Elementals are exactly as the name suggests, magical creatures that embody the elements. Basically all of them are playable, with the exception of Archangels or Archdevils, as those are specific NPC characters. Elementals can only use their element, aand/or the base elements that make up their element, yet they make up for it by being really cool Here’s a list of all the elementals in the game: * Merpeople , the elementals of Water. * Djinn , the elementals of Air. * Dragons , the elementals of Fire. * Fae , the elementals of Earth. * Angels , the elementals of Light. * Demons , the elementals of Dark. * Phoenixes , the elementals of Flare. * Thunderbirds , the elementals of Electricity. * Lungh , the elementals of Reflection. * Cocatrices, the elementals of Plague. * Dryads , the elementals of Life. * Golems , the elementals of Clay. * Gryphons , the elementals of Heat. * Lamiae , the elementals of Blood. * Magma Mice , the elementals of Lava. * Manticores , the elementals of Decay. * Nagas , the elementals of Sand. * Nightmares , the elementals of Hellfire. * Unicorns , the elementals of Illusion. * Yeti , the elementals of Cold. * Kitsunes , the elementals of Steam. * Mesmeri , the elementals of Emotion. * Archdevils , the elementals of Vice. * Gibberlings , the elementals of Madness. * Seraphim , the elementals of Heavenfire. * Afrits , the elementals of Smoke. * Archangels , the elementals of Virtue. * Cecaeliae , the elementals of Ink. Seers, the elementals of Premonition. * Archons , the elementals of Shielding. * Gorgons , the elementals of Petrification. * Bladelings , the elementals of Metal. * Geodes , the elementals of Crystal. * Hydras , the elementals of Acid. *Nimbuses , the elementals of Cloud. * Gouivres , the elementals of Erosion. * Incarnate are considered the elementals of the Nexus, and require admin permission to play (honestly we’ll probably say yes if the character concept is solid). The Others Sure, elementals are all well and good, but what if I wanna be edgy, you might ask. Well all jokes aside, we have these lovely nightmares spawned from the Abyss known as Others. Horrid abominations that the Abyss churns out in order to kill sorcerers in the war between the Nexus and the Abyss. However, (most) Others are still sentient beings with free will, and thus some choose to defect from The Abyss, and either join sides with the Secrets or just strike out on their own to enjoy life. An Other who defects to the side of the Secrets can bathe in the Anyways here’s a list of the Others: * Whisps , corrupted Mesmiri who gang up and fly down peoples’ throats and suffocate them. * Imps , tiny devil like creatures that stab people with needles. * Hounds , monstrous flesh dogs that eat you. * Fallen , corrupted sorcerers who trade their magic for necromancy. * Sidhe , corrupted Fae. Breathtakingly beautiful and manipulative as all get out. * Lucareth are just werewolves. But of the monsterous wolf that also has a human form variety. * Vetala are a really fun take on vampires. * Gargoyles are exactly what they sound like. * Jesters are super creepy cyclopian frog lizard things who’s gaze is basically magic Joker toxin. * Fomorians are corrupted elves, horribly disfigured and with a painful paralysing gaze. * Nucklavee are what happens when necrotic energy fuses a horse and it’s rider together, flays off their skin, and turns it evil. * Serpents are corrupted dragons. * Deathweavers , basically drieders. The rarest Other, they serve as Lillith’s personal guards. Non-elemental, non-Other entities So in adition to elementals and Others, there are a few other beings that you can play as: *Nymphs are the female offspring of the god Altar and one of his dryad lovers.Powerful and capricious, they embody the beauty of the wild. Their exact number is unknown, but it is certain that along with their Satyr brothers they are the most elusive of the Fae. *Satyr are the male offspring of Altar and one of his dryad lovers. Wild and rambunctious demi-deities of Earth, they are renowned for their gifts with music and their talent for wild magic. *Elves are the children of the Nymphs and mortal men. Grandchildren of the god of the Wild, Atlar, they are powerful sorcerers and noble beings. Ageless and graceful, elves possess eyes that show no iris or pupil, simply a molten swirl of elemental power. *Changelings are the children of humans or sorcerers and the Fae. Witty and mischievous creatures, Changelings are best known for being the most adept shapeshifters of the world, turning into almost any form or being in a matter of seconds. Although their true form is always that of a young child, they grow extremely quick and usually have the mind of an adult within a few days. *Nephilim are the offspring of Angels and humans or Sorcerers, and a particularly powerful race of semi-celestial beings. Usually taller than their human counterparts, Nephilim have unusually colored skin, ranging from dark blue to light purple at times. Their eyes are twin spheres of opalescent white, and they usually wear golden armor or amber colored silks that resemble the apparel of angels. *Succubi are the children of mortal humans or Sorcerers and Demons. They are a form of Cambion, and come in both male and female forms, known as Incubi or Succubi. Both types have demonic traits, such as vestigial wings, small horns, claws or strangely colored eyes. They usually have the ability to hide this, passing for a normal human. *Astrals are mysterious beings, often associated with the Elementals and the Angels although they are different in origin and seem to have only loose ties with the Nexus. Also called the Watchers, Astrals have woven their way into human and sorcerer history since the beginning of time; they are known by those that inhabit the earth as stars. *Neutronials are seldom seen, even among the Cosmic entities, as their creation requires a complex set of circumstances that is only rarely met. Originally, all Neutronials were Astrals, but, having left the heavens by misfortune or duty, they lost faith in their purpose and the nature of humanity after seeing the horror human nature is capable of. Through an old eldritch quirk in the nature of Astrals and their role in the Constellations, this lack of faith renders them immune to all magic. *The Solars are a type of Planetar, even though their nature is more similar to the light of the Astrals than their fellow kind. Formed when ripples of Nexus magic solidified and gave consciousness to fragments of sunlight, they are hotheaded and determined warriors of formidable power. They wield a special combination of fire and light known as Blaze, which can incinerate thing in an instant. Requires admin permission. *Mercurials are a type of Planetar, similar to the Astrals in that they embody an aspect of the heavens. The Mercurials are formed from shards of the planet Mercury infused with magical energy and consciousness by the Nexus. Observers more than direct fighters, the Mercurials are still particularly adept at battling the scourges of the Abyss when necessary. They wield a unique combination of light and water known as Kinesis, the ability to absorb the force of kinetic energy and to release it in the form of Kinetic Ripples. Requires admin permission. *Cythereans are a type of Planetar that were born from shards of the planet Venus infused with energy from the Nexus. Austere mystics that dabble in arts that most other sentient beings prefer to avoid, they are slightly more common than the Solars and the Mercurials but remain a rare sight. They wield a unique combination of light and earth known as soulbinding, the ability to bind the souls of those they kill into glass spheres. Requires admin permission. *Terrans are a form of Planetar created on the Earth itself, by ripples of Nexus magic infusing the very substance of Earth with sentience and magic. Ancient and determined, the Terrans are particularly skilled at the manipulation of Earth and Water, which they combine into the unique element of Quake; the ability to shake and fissure the very ground beneath their foes. Requires admin permission. *Areans are a type of Planetar formed from shards of the planet Mars infused with energy from the Nexus. The embodiment of strength, they are surprisingly capable military strategists as well as intimidatingly strong, most of them possessing enough strength to pulverize marble with a few blows of their fists.The unique ability of the Areans comes from a combination of Earth and Fire and manifests only in the form of their considerable strength. They cannot use blasts of elemental energy like many of the Planetars, but their nigh invulnerability to most forms of abyssal energy and the formidable strength of their attacks is often enough to compensate. Requires admin permission. *Jovians are a type of Planetar formed from the swirling gasses of Jupiter and given sentience and power by the energy of the Nexus. Often irate and easily provoked, the Jovians are noted mainly for their unique ability combining Fire and Air; the manipulation of Storms. There is a notable difference between the natural storms of Earth and those of the Jovian, however, because the clouds summoned by this form of Planetar are always a rusty-red in color. Requires admin permission. *Saturnines are a form of Planetar created when swirls of the gasses of Saturn were coalesced and infused with power by the Nexus. Dark beings, especially for planetars, they are reclusive and prone to isolation. When hunting for energy, however, Saturnine are ruthless and particularly deadly. Their unique ability is Drain, formed from a combination of Dark and Water. Any living creature that comes in contact with their skin rapidly loses energy, becoming exhausted, powerless, and eventually dying. Requires admin permission. *Uranians are a type of Planetar formed by shards of the planet Uranus being infused with power and sentience by the Nexus. Often mad, emaciated beings, they are the most feared of the Planetars and their culture is actively at war against most of their kind and the sorcerers. They are more fearsome than most Others and highly valued in the army of the Abyssal Queen due to their entropic ability, formed from a combination of Dark and Earth. The very presence of a Uranian is enough to degrade weak systems rapidly, making them age to death or destruction within a series of moments. Requires admin permission. *Neptunials are a form of Planetar created when shards of the planet Neptune were infused with energy and sentience from the Nexus. Turquoise-skinned humanoids with milk-white eyes and feathery wings, the Neptunials have an intimidating appearance, standing taller than most mortals.Neptunials possess a surprising ability formed from Light and Air; they can manipulate sound itself, creating booms of sonic power that repulse and damage their enemies. Requires admin permission. *Chronals are the cosmic beings that are akin to the force of time. In a similar way to the Elementals, they embody the passage of time through brassy clockwork and flowing currents of golden sand. Requires admin permission. *Lethan are akin to the Elementals in that they embody the cosmic force of separation and order. They are charged with separating the Mortal world from the world of sorcerers and Magic, and maintaining the secrecy of the Nexus and the Abyss. Neutral beings that take no side other than that of secrecy, they will only use their abilities if there is no other choice. Requires admin permission. Other Important Stuff Occultism Occultism is a variant of Magic accessible to humans that have not yet been awoken as Sorcerers. A more complex and ritualistic way of manipulating the elements and aspects that control the world, it is loosely divided into two categories; White Occultism and Black Occultism, by both intention and technique. Read More:Occultism Read More:Black Occultism Read More: White Occultism Read More:Spells And Rituals The Deities So once upon a time the Nexus had sentience, and this sentience was known as El. However El fragmented into six beings, one for each of the primary elements. * Ishtara is the primordial goddess of Fire. The archetype of rage, the vengeful god who urges humanity to action. * Neptulos is the primordial god of Water. The archetype of the secretive god, the recluse. * Atlar is the primordial god of Earth. The archetype of the wise nature god, the horned god of wisdom. * Oriel is the primordial goddess of Air. The archetype of the pure and just god, the creative. * Apollion is the celestial deity of Light. The archetype of the lawmaker god, The warrior * Mephisto is the celestial deity of Dark. The archetype of the trickster. In addition, there are other entities that are considered to be dieties as well. * Vesperius is the lunar deity of the New Moon. The archetype of the blacksmith and the judge of the dead. * Phosphoris is the lunar deity of the Full Moon. The archetype of the ferrywoman of the dead and the huntress. * Lilith is sometimes considered to be the deity of the Abyss. The archetype of hunger, corruption, and temptation. * The Star of Flesh Ascended, otherwise known as Magnus, this being makes claims of being a deity over the sphere of life and death. Whether or not this is true is the source of much debate. He vanished in November of 2018 following a confrontation with all six deities and the leaders of the main six Secrets. Category:Beginners Guide Category:Beginner's Guide